Category: Dispatches from the Sunshine State

Wave of ‘Why lie? Need a beer’ signs hit Florida

by Alex Pickett

2451061714_bcffa8797bOh, those enterprising homeless.

Every day in St. Petersburg, I see at least a dozen panhandlers on area roads with various signs asking for help and money. They may not be creative — “Hungry,” “Jobless,” “Laid Off” — but they know a good sign when they see it.

The latest is the “Why Lie? Need a beer/drink” sign. It’s making rounds of the state this month. I’ll tell you: It was funny the first time I saw it. Now it hardly elicits a chuckle from me. Can our local bums come up with something better?

Anyway, the latest sign maker is a flagrant vagrant from Fort Walton Beach, who was recently arrested with the sign.

(Photo Credit: Steve Isaacs/Flickr)

Why does St. Pete continue to disparage the homeless without working toward solutions?

by Alex Pickett

3419380851_f0eba9e893_oI love the daily paper. In no other publication can you read one article full of facts, shedding light on some problem and then read a columnist in the next section completely unaware of said facts and making uneducated statements. I bring this up, because I just finished my Sunday edition of the St. Petersburg Times.

In the Metro section, one reporter details the results of the 2009 Pinellas County homeless count. The statistics areĀ  not surprising:

There’s been a 20 percent jump in homeless folks over 2007′s count. Despite the best efforts of Pinellas Hope, the number of homeless without any kind of shelter is up nearly 83 percent. And children make up nearly a third of those without homes.

Then I hop on over to the Perspectives section for Bill Maxwell’s column. His headline?

“Homeless Disrupting Our Lives.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Florida crime is down, but three cities land on Forbes’ ‘Most Dangerous Cities’ list

by Alex Pickett

The United States’ crime rate has been on a downward slope for a couple years now. (Who knows if the recession will change that.) Florida’s crime rate has not been as lucky. Our state’s crime rate has increased during the same period, albeit in small percentages. For example, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida’s index crime rate rose 0.1 percent in 2008 over 2007.

But coincidentally another piece of info hit my inbox today: Forbes annual America’s Most Dangerous Cities. How does Florida stack up?

The Miami metro area earned a No. 3 designation as one of only three major U.S. cities with more than 950 violent crimes committed per 100,000 people.

Orlando made the top 10 at No. 6. And West Palm Beach hit No. 13.

Props to Tampa, who once made these lists but is now enjoying a huge drop in crime.

Tampa taxpayers still paying for former Lowry Park CEO’s mistakes

by Alex Pickett

13184868_4055c76713_mThe title really says it all. Last month, the city of Tampa settled a lawsuit with Donald Smith, who sued the city and Lowry Park Zoo for not providing adaquate wheelchair access. (Get the agenda item here.)

What does this have to do with Lex Salisbury, the former zoo CEO who got run out on a rail last year?

In my first article about Lowry Park Zoo back in November 2006, former employees told me about an atmosphere that discouraged employee advice and provided a disconnect between employees, their supervisors and the zoo’s management. A city audit ended up backing many of those claims.

There are a few more of these suits, regarding various issues during Salisbury’s reign, still moving through the court system. Something tells me taxpayers will be paying more than the estimated $200,000 the city is looking to get out of Salisbury.

(Photo: stagewhisper/Flickr)

Dispatches from the Sunshine State: Jesus plates, beastiality and the Confederate Flag

by Alex Pickett

OH COME ALL YE LICENSE PLATES: A few bills moving through the State Senate would put religious themes on certian specialty license plates. Enthusiastic evangelists will be able to show their faith far and wide (right under their “Jesus is my co-pilot” and fish stickers), though they may want to start praying, because passage of the plates does not look good. Maybe that’s for the better, anyway; I mean, putting out these plates would create quite a quandry in religious circles with parishoners trying to decide whether their vehicle should get the “Choose Life” or Jesus plates. I’m not hatin’ though. Just like Gov. Crist, I don’t see a problem with the plates. I’m just hoping a compromise can be made, so my new favorite State Senator Al Lawson can get this awesome plate passed:

allawsonplate

OF BEAST & MAN: State Senators have been more successful with their beastiality bill. I raised the rankles of animal lovers (including Rep. Bill Heller!) when I added a similar bill to my Bipartisan Guide to Ridiculous Legislation last year. I feel the same now — that beastiality has never been “legal” and animal cruelty laws are sufficient — but there were more wacky bills this session than last to justify putting it on the list.

SPEAKING OF REDNECKS: The Sons of Confederate Veterans had quite the hootenanny this weekend. The Dixie memorial park is officially dedicated and that huge-ass flag on I-4 and I-75 is here to stay. I didn’t go, but I hear it was a multicultural affair. Come to think of it, so were the Sunday lynchings at the turn of the century, just in a different context.

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